The darkest days
by Nyryne
Summary: This story takes place after tenth season of Criminal Minds. Kate has left and JJ is on maternity leave. The rest of the team is about to solve a case, but something goes wrong... In the end, a mysterious young girl becomes a part of the team and another dangerous case is about to change everything. And English is not my first language, so please excuse my mistakes :-)
1. Chapter 1 - The dark day

1.

It was a dark week… full of surprises which were definitely not happy, nor neutral… just sad and morbid. The very first good news came on Saturday night, the time no one has expected any changes and no breakthroughs.

"Agents!" Shouted out young detective "We have him. Man corresponding to your profile hides himself in an abandoned warehouse on periphery."

The mood has perceptibly changed, all agents looked surprised and nervous in expectation of arresting the unsub. Hotchner stood up first followed by Rossi and Morgan. "Let's go!" Said and walked out of the police station.

"Everybody listen to me." started Hotchner "Before we come in, you have to know that our target is armed, extremely dangerous and probably protected by unknown number of guards… so be careful please."

All agents nodded, Reid looked nervously at dark silhouette of warehouse and Morgan checked his gun… the others stayed quiet just as the rest of SWAT team waiting for their orders.

"We will split to two groups, one will be let by me and Reid and the second by Rossi and Morgan." Said Hotchner and followed by Reid and half of people from SWAT team, ran towards the main entrance, second group took the back door.

The warehouse has been empty for long time… or at least it looked like it was. Chaotic rows of big boxes where high and made impossible every try to look on the other side. Hostiles could be beside them, but they'd be invisible. All of them treaded silently, hoping none had noticed them.

Than in one moment someone turned all lights on… they knew. And then just before Hotch appeared the girl; pale, suited up in black with silenced gun in her left hand. She looked at him terrified and vanished in a moment.

"Follow her!" Shouted out but when people from SWAT got to her last position, she was gone. But there was a man instead. Man with bullet between his fearful eyes, their unsub.

"That was the girl?" Asked Reid whispering.

"And who else?" Rossi came from shadows with Morgan.

"Where are the others?"

"We 'we split." Answered Morgan. "They should-" An explosion broke all agents down. From the dark, smoky crater, which has left after wall, came hostiles. One of them was still holding rocket launcher.

Hotch looked around him, everything was blurry and strange, but still he was able to see that Morgan and Rossi where unconscious and Reid was sitting, confused and unable to protect himself… as was he. And SWAT people didn't look much better.

 _I'll die here,_ thout himself and rememberd on his son. He took a gun. It was probably his, but he wasn't sure… his hand was shaking.

Men mowed forward and he wasn't able to aim. Their leader lifted his hand with gun, smiling… but at that very moment his legs weakened and he fell down dead.

There was the girl standing partly in shadows. She pushed the trigger of her silenced gun few more times. All hostiles trying to protect themselves from the death ended up the same way as the leader. Girl mowed one step forward holding her gun prepared. She looked at him, her hair was pastel white just as her face, eyes shined with steel gray and all clothes were simple black.

She gave him a weak smile and disappeared with the sound of police cars.


	2. Chapter 2 - The pale girl

2.

 _The pendulum of the mind alternates between sense and nonsense, not between right and wrong._

 _-C. G. Jung_

2 months later…

"So, our latest victim is called Simon Burke." Said Garcia switching over a picture of young, dark haired man." Dallas police called us after third case. It looks like they wanted to get rid of this case."

"Why?" Asked Rossi.

"All the victims where homosexual… and you know, how it goes in Texas." Answered sadly Garcia.

"Let's go!" Shouted out Hotchner "Get prepared. We're leaving in 20 minutes."

"Wait a second." Stopped everybody Garcia. "I just wanted to tell you that I checked the pale girl again… Her face really isn't in any database. It looks like she doesn't exist." Finished she embarrassedly.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait…" Came a voice from outside the room. "I don't exist? That's weird, isn't it?" And then she appeared, exactly same looking like the last time; long white hair, pale with steel eyes rounded by black cat lines, suited up in short black dress, leggings and hard shoes. She was standing beside unit chief Cruz.

"Gentlemen, let me introduce you to miss Cara Nowak… You've met her before, as I understood."

"We have." Smiled Nowak at him. "But just for a sec…, sir."

All the four men just quickly nodded and Garcia blinked in surprise. For a moment, the room fell in strange, unsure silence, which was broke by Cruz again.

"Miss Nowak is gonna work with you on this and at least few following cases. Then she will certificate, or we'll find a replacement for her. Nowak has worked the last years in secret service under the heads of this state. That means she's very able and skilled despite her age, and as you all know, she can take care of herself. Good luck for all of you with this case." Cruz motioned to Cara and left.

"So, miss Nowak, what did you do before?" Asked Rossi and gave her a smile.

"Don't call miss Nowak, please… I feel old then. My name is Cara and just as Cruz said, I worked for secret service and many very important people who don't like to be mentioned."

"And they just let you go? You really have to have a great reputation."

"They didn't, mister Rossi… they didn't and yeah, you're right, my reputation is great." Girl's face went dark and something in her eyes told him, that her story is not so bright.

Cara nestled herself down and took a book written with strange letters. She looked really interested.

"What's that?" Asked Morgan. "Another bookworm reading a weird book? You've got competitor, Reid."

Reid gave Morgan annoyed look and examined Nowak's book. "That's Gothic script, old German I guess. It's nearly illegible these days but in the end of 15th century, it was the most readable alphabet-"

"I don't wanna disappoint you, Mister Reid, but I understand it very well. That's the reason, why I read it and," she gave him a weak smile "your friends don't look exactly interested."

Morgan started laughing, Rossi blinked at her and Hotch looked understanding on surprised Reid. Cara just sat still.


End file.
